looking for clay slip online or here in SC

Crowned_One

Anyone know where to purchase clay slip? Looking to make some muck. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks to all.

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Joanie

Muck isn't usually made from clay slip. Slip is clay mixed with a deflocculant... you wouldn't want the deflocculant (sodium silicate and soda ash generally) in your muck. Clay that has been refined for ceramics use may be too refined for muck?

You want garden clay, actually. The sticky mud that is in some gardens.

When they say "clay" they mean sticky mud.

Joanie

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Crowned_One

Thanks Joanie! The recipe I found for muck calls for clay slip mixed with milled sphagnum moss and spanish moss. Around here we have what is called Red Clay and is very hard and usually sandy. Not much top soil above this clay either. As far as the slip goes I don't want to use something that isn't good to use nor good for any of the trees I may use.

KenDuncan

HI Crowned_One
My friend John and I have used muck on a lot of rock plantings with great success for many years. It consists of equal parts of long fiber sphagnum moss, clay and Michigan peat. All of the ingredients are mixed dry then water is added.
Ken

Crowned_One

Yes, I know John. His nursery is where I attend meetings to learn this wonderful art. At our last workshop for the spring/summer he showed us some muck. can't remember what he said the price was on it. Me being of low income, even working a state job, I try to look for deals, steals, collect from the wild or make my own. Every once in awhile can I splurge.
As far as what you use for muck, from what I have read about others using Michigan peat is that it is not good. Maybe I'll contact John and ask what the muck he has runs. I did find some on BLC's website. Thank you for the reply Ken

ps: have we met at one of the meetings? my real name is Steven(which means Crowned_One)

bwaynef

The John he's referring to is probably our very own John Quinn, rather than who you're thinking of.

I don't recall any of the rock plantings in either Ken's or John's gardens, but I do remember seeing some wonderful trees, so these guys know what they're talking about.

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Crowned_One

oops sorry. maybe i just need to hush lol. i'll figure something out on how to make it. guess it's time to play mad scientist. thanks all.

KenDuncan

The John that was referring to is John Geanangel. We have done a few programs with Arthur Joura at the North Carolina Arboretum using the muck recipe that I posted. John has many rock plantings, I only have a few.
This planting was done by John and myself in a program at the Bonsai Expo at the Arbortum in 2000. All of the trees are doing fine at this time.
Ken

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